Sunday, December 6, 2009

Another option if you don't go to college

Former Memphis recruit Latavious Williams has begun his pro career.In Tulsa,Oklahoma.Williams was the first high schooler to be drafted by the NBA developmental league.Williams was rated the 17th best recruit in the nation,choosing Memphis over the likes of Georgetown,Kansas State,and Florida International.He didn't qualify and was set to embark on starting his pro career in China.In stepped the Tulsa 66ers who drafted him with the final selection in the first round of the D-League draft.Williams admits this is a better move for him than going to China even though he would've been paid more.I personally think this is what the developmental league should be for.It gives preps who want to go pro another option other than going overseas.That's not bad because from a financial standpoint it works out better for them.But in some cases it doesn't work out too well.Ask Jeremy Tyler about his fine Israeli experience.I think it would be better because they would play for an NBA run franchise,but they're rights aren't owned by any team.It would give them more of an oppurtunity to get better under an NBA eye.It won't work out well for everyone but I think it could get the ball rolling on talented players that don't want to go to college and play but also needs to work on their game and maturity.The d-league should be a skill buliding apprentice program,because over the years it's been known that some had the game,but not the maturity to excel in the NBA.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AlCeTbHE6Odk3o8XvvoIsLM5nYcB?slug=mc-williamsdleague120509&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Ringside Thoughts

After watching a great fight between Paul Williams and Sergio Martinez,if I didn't feel this already,something needs to be done about the judging system in boxing.Both Williams and Martinez,who are respected but can't seem to get a good fight put on a show.They're kinda like boxing vagabonds taking any fight from welterweight to super middleweight.
  The travesty to the fight was the scoring.Both fighters scored early knockdowns,although Martinez's was more impressive and landed heavy shots.Williams pulled out a majority decision,a decision that I thought should have been a draw.One judge scored it 114-114,another 115-113 and the other 119-110.I don't know what fight that judge was watching,but it should have been a whole lot closer than that.Martinez was gracious in defeat,but he acknowledged he felt he got a bad decision.There should be a rematch made for this fight,but there probably won't as I feel Williams knows he went through an escape hatch to win this one.Williams was his usual agressive self,throwing punches at a high volume.Martinez is more slick and quick,but landed plenty of crunching blows to Williams.Overall it was a great fight and would love to see them do it again.Both fighters should be in line for a big money fight,but with the well known politics of boxing I think both will keep being avoided.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=AiK3_vBHDrdeStx7Zr51IxqUxLYF?slug=ap-williams-martinez&prov=ap&type=lgns